Washington Post: Big Tech Loves Coal

By now, we are all aware of the enormous new demand the rapid multiplication of data centers to feed AI and other new technological advancements is placing on the US regional power grids. The new demand from big tech is being added to an electric system already strained by huge demands from Bitcoin mining, EV charging, and general population growth and economic expansion.

This demand growth is now completely overwhelming the ability of power companies to build new electric generating capacity rapidly enough to keep up. This is especially true for companies operating in areas that restrict such new generating capacity to be “green,” i.e. intermittent wind and solar. These data centers and other big power demand hogs require reliable generation, 24 hours a day, 7 days every week, so something has to give.

With governments at all levels clinging to regulations and permitting processes designed to accommodate a world long in the past, the explosion in new demand is creating unintended consequences that are destined to utterly eliminate any remaining chance the US and other western nations will be able to meet their fantasy “netzero by 2050” pledges.